Arroyo on fears she’ll be PM: ‘That’s black propaganda’

Newly-installed Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has dispelled as “black propaganda” some claims that she could become prime minister if the proposed shift to a federal form of government succeeds.

Arroyo pointed out that President Rodrigo Duterte’s Consultative Committee (Con-com) has proposed a presidential federal form of government, not parliamentary.

“The proposed constitution is presidential federal, isn’t it? So, that’s black propaganda,” the former president said in an interview on the sidelines of her relief operations for Dinalupihan, Bataan on Friday.

Among the senators who floated this possibility were Senators Grace Poe and Panfilo Lacson.

READ: Arroyo as PM? Think twice – Lacson
Poe: Have we forgotten Arroyo’s ‘sins’?

Meanwhile, former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez previously said the postponement of the 2019 elections would be practical to facilitate the country’s shift to federalism.

READ: Alvarez: ‘No-el’ in 2019 practical to speed up federal shift

Arroyo opposed this. “No. Definitely, I am not supporting term extension,” she said.

The proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution being pushed by Duterte’s allies in Congress and by his Con-com could pave the way to a shift to a federal form government – one of his campaign promises and an advocacy of his ruling political party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).   /vvp

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